"Sorry, You Didn't Make the List." - Facebook

You're not important enough.

Aaand Facebook is at it again.

The world is undergoing transformation. Discrimination against people because of their race, gender, age, mental capabilities, and social status is now rightfully frowned upon.

Except on Facebook. 🙄

Recently, another exposé on the misdeeds of Facebook was released.

In a Wall Street Journal report, we found out that Facebook has a program called Xcheck. The program was initially intended as a quality-control measure for actions taken against high-profile accounts, including celebrities, politicians, and journalists. However, today, it reportedly shields millions of VIP users from the company’s usual enforcement process. 

Factors that can get you a seat at Facebook’s “VIP table” include being “newsworthy,” “influential or popular,” or “PR risky,” And by 2020, there were 5.8 million users on the XCheck white list. 

One confidential internal review said,“We are not actually doing what we say we do publicly”.

As we established in the last newsletter, this is something Facebook likes to do.

The review went on to call the company’s actions a “breach of trust” and added, “Unlike the rest of our community, these people can violate our standards without any consequences.”

After this expose was released to the public, the Facebook Oversight Board, an “independent” committee that was set up to regulate Facebook’s online privacy and security released a statement that they are investigating the incident.  The board further stated that they would be reporting what they hear as part of the first release of their quarterly transparency reports, which will be published in October. 

As Facebook becomes increasingly large (they already own Instagram and WhatsApp and are planning to launch a digital currency, too), users need to be aware of how the company operates.

Well, now you know a little bit more about how “charming” Zuck and his mates are.

Enjoy the ‘gram. 😉

Peace, love & anarchy,

Alex Lielacher